After the Beast
by AramauFierySecretary
Summary: Starfire has noticed that Beast Boy has been acting differently towards Raven since the Beast incident, so she "kidnaps" him in order to get into his head. Meanwhile, Cyborg and Robin's belongings have been blowing up every time they say the name "Beast Boy" and they think they know why. But it's hard to talk to Raven about liking boys when she's like their little sister.
1. Morning Shenanigans

_How did I get here?_ Beast Boy pondered as he obediently held clothes that his ginger-haired alien teammate handed to him in the middle of the local mall's Forever 21. He didn't mind going out into the public. Far from it; normally he was all up for a trip to the mall and the local pizza joint to cruise on the ladies and gawk at his dream moped. But today, he had kind of been… dragged.

* * *

The morning had started out just fine. Cyborg had pulled an all-nighter and was sleeping in, so Beast Boy had made his tofu eggs in peace. Robin was sitting with Starfire at the breakfast table indulging in the warm strawberry-orange muffins Robin had made and chatting about where the phrase "a penny for your thoughts" had come from. Beast Boy finished his cooking and joined the other two, plucking a muffin from the platter that he knew had been deliberately set for him (the vegan version of the muffins, which he appreciated Robin for making).

"How are you feeling, Beast Boy?" Robin asked without preamble, and Beast Boy sighed. It had been a week since the incident with Adonis, and he'd been recovering from the strained muscles he had endured while transforming into the Beast. Beast Boy knew the question was coming, he had just hoped it would have been after his yummy muffin.

"Better. I have a massage appointment again tomorrow, it should be my last one. It's been helping," Beast Boy said, shoveling a spoonful of his scrambled Vegan Eggs into his mouth. Starfire looked at him carefully but said nothing, picking off another piece of her muffin.

"Good. I'm glad the therapist I recommended is helping," Robin said with a grin. "We just want you to be back to fighting form, okay?"

Beast Boy nodded and opened his mouth to thank him when the door opened to reveal a floating dark sorceress already cradling a finished cup of tea. Raven noticed that all three at the table were staring at her, and she raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Good morning, dearest friend Raven!" Starfire called happily.

"Morning, Raven," Robin echoed a little more calmly.

Raven's eyes brushed over to Beast Boy as he managed to murmur, "M-Morning, Rae."

"It's Raven," she said tersely to the changeling, "and good morning." With a small pop, a nearby lightbulb shattered onto the floor. The three at the table did not hide their surprise, and Raven quickly fled into the kitchen for another batch of tea. There was a quick, slightly awkward pause before Beast Boy piped up and said, "I didn't do it."

Robin rolled his eyes playfully, and Beast Boy had expected Starfire to giggle at his joke, but she was instead staring at him carefully. It was at that point that the door opened to reveal a stretching and well-charged Cyborg. The half-robot sniffed the air and made a beeline for Robin's muffins.

"I knew I smelled something amazing!" he cheered, grabbing three of the non-vegan ones. "Hey, Raven, do you want one?" Beast Boy's ears perked to hear her answer, and he again caught Starfire studying him.

"Yes, please," Raven answered, surprising the others, "They smell great, Robin. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Robin replied, a little surprised. Cyborg shoved one into his mouth and placed his hand on Beast Boy's head.

"Hey, you wanna try out the new Halo game with me today, Beast Boy?" he asked. As soon as his sentence finished, another light popped, and this time one of the vegan muffins popped with it, getting crumbs all over Beast Boy's face and in his eggs. Startled, Robin looked over to the kitchen and saw Raven very obviously trying to hide her face.

"Sure, Cy. Did you get it already?"

"I ordered it, it should be at the GameStop in the mall. I'll get it later today," Cyborg replied, brushing off a few of the muffin crumbs that had stuck to his chest.

"Cool, man," Beast Boy replied as he picked up his empty plate and muffin and made his way into the kitchen. The tea kettle started to whistle, and Raven turned off the heat and began to pour the water into the teacup as Beast Boy snuck in behind her to put his plate in the sink. He accidentally brushed her ever so slightly and, without meaning to, he jumped away. Raven spun around to face him, the little metal tea leaf bulb in her hand forgotten.

"Sorry, Rae, I did- Ra_ven_, I didn't mean to-"

"It's all right, Beast Boy," she replied. Another pop, this time snapping one of the legs of the chair Cyborg was sitting in, and Cyborg crashed to the ground. Raven inhaled slowly, finished making her tea, then quickly teleported herself to her room. Beast Boy scratched the back of his head, mildly embarrassed that the others had seen that scene.

It had been… awkward around Raven in the past week. Ever since their heart to heart on the shore, he had purposely been avoiding her and been extra careful not to bother her. He knew she forgave him for anything that he might have possibly done while he was the Beast (even though she assured him that he had been protecting her and not attacking her) and he knew that she was safe now, but he didn't want any possibility of the Beast getting out again. The chemicals may have messed up his DNA, but his fights with Raven hadn't helped. And when he had stabilized, he felt terrible for what he had said to her, even though she had forgiven him for that too.

But even though she had forgiven him, he had not forgiven himself, so he had mostly tried to avoid seeing or touching her. He didn't want to hurt her again. He didn't ever want to come close to hurting her again. The times where contact was unavoidable - meals, trainings, and other group activities - he tried his best to give her space. He kept a close eye on her to see if she still had any lingering pain or fear, but so far he hadn't noticed anything different.

Except the popping.

Every time he was around her, something would pop. Every time she saw him, pop. Every time someone said his name around her, pop. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but it didn't make him feel better.

Beast Boy sighed and returned to his seat, muffin in hand, and saw once again that Starfire seemed to be scrutinizing him with much more focus than she normally did. After another moment of investigative stares, Starfire finally spoke up.

"Cyborg, I must go to the mall of shopping today. Would you like me to pick up your game for you?" she asked sweetly. Cyborg nodded, already on his fourth muffin, and Starfire smiled. "Glorious! Beast Boy, I would very much appreciate it if you would accompany me."

"Me?" Beast Boy mumbled through a mouthful of vegan muffin, and both Cyborg and Robin's eyebrows shot up onto their foreheads.

"Yes, you, for you are the only Beast Boy I know." Suddenly worried, she turned to Robin. "_Are_ there more humans who can turn into animals with green complexions?" Robin smiled and shook his head, and Starfire turned her gaze confidently back to Beast Boy. She floated over to him and picked him up by the armpits, dragging him out the door with a muffin in each hand.

"Farewell, friends! We shall be back later in the day!" she called over her shoulder as she carried the protesting changeling. Robin and Cyborg just stared after her in confusion and awe.

"Well. That's a first," Cyborg said, and Robin nodded, too stunned for words.

* * *

That had been an hour ago. And while Starfire had made good on her word to pick up Cyborg's copy of _Halo 2_ first, Beast Boy found himself trapped under a growing pile of clothes at the Forever 21 changing rooms. Again, he had to wonder, _how?_


	2. Shopping Shenanigans

**I had to keep writing. Don't always expect updates this quickly, I was just hooked on the story. I can't pick which ship from Teen Titans I love better, RobStar or BBRae, so looks like you get a heaping helping of one and a teeny little taste of the other. Enjoy! (I hope!)**

* * *

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire called from within one of the changing stalls, "I wish to express thanks that you accompanied me today."

"Uh, no problem, Star," he said like he had a choice.

"It is a problem to me because we do not get to spend much time together, yes?" she said, and Beast Boy heard a distinct tone of sadness in her voice. She had a point; after the prank where she stopped speaking to him, he hadn't really attempted to reach out to her. Not because he hated her or anything, but because he just… didn't think about it.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry about that," he replied with contrition.

"Worry not, for it is behind us! And today we shall have the fun!" she said, bursting out of the changing room in a white crop top with "Hey, Kitty Girl!" in black cursive writing on it and black bell-bottom jeans. Beast Boy nodded approvingly; if he had been into Starfire, he would have been drooling at how effortlessly gorgeous she looked. But as it was, he saw her more as a sister and roommate than someone to have a crush on, so he just told her she looked great. Starfire clapped her hands and returned to the changing stall, and Beast Boy's mind drifted briefly to the image of someone else wearing that outfit, someone with violet hair and eyes and a chakra that the whiteness of the shirt would accent-

"Beast Boy, I have noticed that you have been doing the avoiding of Raven," Starfire said bluntly, and Beast Boy sighed. Tact must have been a foreign concept on Tamaran.

"Well…"

"And I have noticed that you have seemed very sad." That one caught Beast Boy by surprise.

"Sad?"

"Yes. You do the sighing and the staring at the window when you think no one is watching, you do not smile as much as I am used to, and you have not done any of the practical jokes," she explained, and Beast Boy just stared at the door. She really noticed all that?

"Huh," was all he said though.

"And," she continued, "you have been watching Raven more than you used to. Even more than you did when she was speaking with that Malchior." She swung the door open to reveal a cute daisy-covered white sundress. He just looked at her, stunned into silence, and she gave him a little smile. "You are very worried, yes?"

Mentally, Beast Boy apologized for ever thinking of Starfire as ignorant or not very bright. Physically, he nodded. He knew he was caught. "Y-Yeah. It's just… I hurt her."

"You did no such thing, Beast Boy," Starfire interjected, leaning down and pointing at his face fiercely. "You did the rescuing of Raven from that Adonis."

"I know that! At least, that's what everyone's been telling me. But I meant that I hurt her feelings, Star," Beast Boy clarified, and Starfire returned to her normal position and scrutinized him. It made Beast Boy more uncomfortable than when anyone else did it because he really wasn't used to the cheerful alien studying him. Something in her emerald gaze made him feel compelled to confess.

"I mean, she's had it rough. I called her creepy, and it hurt her enough that she shut herself away and fell for that dragon," Beast Boy spat bitterly at the memory of the sorcerer that had taken advantage of Raven, "and then right before she gets attacked, I scare her and nearly attack her. And Cyborg said it was the chemicals and that I couldn't control it, but… I still felt those things. I still scared her. I still lashed out at everyone, but especially her. I just…"

Without another word, Starfire spun back into the dressing room and closed the door, leaving Beast Boy confused. But soon her voice lilted from over the door.

"And you do not think that you can talk to her about this? And you think that you must worry for her in secret? And that she no longer thinks of you as a friend?" Beast Boy's mouth flopped open gracelessly at her not-really-questions-but-more-accusations before she continued, "I understand your worries, Beast Boy. You are no longer acting like a royal zarbnarf and we are most grateful. However, I have also observed other behaviors that may mean something else. Something you are afraid to face."

Beast Boy gulped.

* * *

Seven broken bulbs. One broken chair leg. Two severed video game controller wires. One exploded remote. One burst muffin. And three cracked windows. All in the span of a day.

"Man, Raven's going to owe us a bunch of money," Cyborg said as he tallied up the costs of the things her powers destroyed. He and Robin had remained in the common room after Starfire had abducted Beast Boy, and as they had talked, they noticed something. Over the last twenty-four hours, whenever Raven heard Beast Boy's name or came near him, something broke. Cyborg mainly focused on the things that had been broken - considering that they were mostly his possessions or things near him or Beast Boy, Robin understood his concern - but Robin was more interested in _why_.

"Cyborg, did you do a checkup after Raven woke up from the Beast encounter?" Robin asked. Cyborg looked up from where he was making a shopping list on his arm and squinted, trying to remember.

"Yeah, I did one right after we got back and then I did another one two days ago for both her and BB. Why?"

"Did you notice anything on any of the tests?" Robin asked, scrutinizing his teammate. At this, Cyborg knew Robin was serious about something, so he put away the shopping list and pulled out a hologram of the test results.

"Well, their heart rates and adrenaline were elevated, but the cortisol was not elevated to match. Liver and pancreatic functions fine… uh, thyroid and blood sugar levels were looking good. Huh."

"What?" Robin asked worriedly.

"Both of them had elevated heart rates, blood pressure, adrenaline, and… dopamine levels." Cyborg scrolled through the tests again, checking to make sure he hadn't missed anything, while Robin waited for an explanation. It soon came. "Beast Boy's levels were higher than Raven's, but they both had the same reaction. Happy anxiety, a rush, a sort of… oh no."

"What?" Robin repeated, kind of getting tired of Cyborg only half-explaining things.

"Dude, you don't know much about biology, but that combination? You don't see it?" Cyborg asked incredulously, "Racing heartbeat, blood pounding in your ears, a nervousness, but also a happiness when someone is in the room with you? Doesn't that sound familiar?" Robin thought for a moment and then, when he recognized those symptoms as what he felt around a certain alien, his jaw dropped.

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes."

"And they both-?"

"Seems like it."

"And that's why they're so-"

"Awkward? I'd say so."

"We have to talk to Raven."

"Yes, we- wait, WHAT?!"

"We have to talk to Raven," Robin repeated. Cyborg shut down his arm hologram and looked at his friend like he was crazy.

"Man, I don't want to talk to her about that! She'll kill us!"

Robin sighed, "If you want her to keep breaking your things, fine, we won't talk to her and she'll just blow up the tower next time Beast Boy sneezes in a cute way or whatever." Cyborg glared at Robin before heaving a defeated sigh and slumping down into his (newly repaired) seat.

"Fiiiiiine. But I'm letting you do most of the talking. You have that weird mental bond thing, maybe she won't kill you." Robin pursed his lips at how Cyborg dismissed the fact that Raven knew everything there was to know about him, but nodded. She would know that they were just concerned about her.

...Right?


	3. Food Court Shenanigans

Despite the mountain of clothes that Starfire had tried on, she had only purchased three items: the crop top and bell bottom jeans that Beast Boy had complimented her on and a knee-length green dress that matched her eyes. And even though they hadn't spoken since she had claimed that he was avoiding something, they both seemed to know where they needed to go: the food court.

This proved to be both fortuitous and a mistake because they were met with Gizmo, Mammoth, and Jinx wrecking the place when they arrived. Fleeing members of the populace looked incredibly grateful that they were there, even if it was by chance, and soon the place was cleared of both workers and civilians.

"One day. Just one day. Can't we have one day off?" Beast Boy groaned as he shifted into a gorilla and made a beeline for Mammoth. Starfire deposited the bags with the game and her clothes behind the counter of one of the food shops and flew into the fray, aiming directly for Jinx with her starbolts.

"Aw cripes, crump-stomping booger-munchers at twelve o'clock!" Gizmo complained in his whiniest voice, and Jinx and Mammoth turned to face the oncoming alien and green gorilla. Mammoth threw the soda machine he had been carrying over his shoulder so he could get a good grip on Beast Boy while Jinx shot some of her bad-juju-beams at the chairs and tables, causing them to explode and splinters to fly toward Starfire. Luckily, the alien dodged and fired a few well-placed starbolts at the other girl that sent her flying toward the Panda Express in the back of the dining area, but she did not account for Gizmo's missiles to hit her squarely in the back and send her careening diagonally towards a Sbarro's. Beast Boy had managed to subject Mammoth to a submission hold, but as soon as he heard Starfire's pained cry and her body slam into the wall, his head whipped around to see something awful happen.

Jinx had recovered from Starfire's barrage and sent a ray of pink up to the ceiling and caused a large stone sphere that had been hanging as decoration to detach itself directly over Starfire.

"STAR!" Beast Boy immediately shifted into a cheetah and bolted toward his prone friend, who was still trying to get her bearings back from Gizmo's assault. She looked up and her eyes widened in panic just before the green cheetah slammed the two of them out of the way. The orb made a huge indent in the floor, and Starfire instinctively clutched onto the cheetah as she realized she could have been a pile of Tamaranian Pudding of Sadness if Beast Boy hadn't gotten her out of the way. Beast Boy, however, snarled at the three troublemakers, who decided they had raised enough cain for the day and quickly left the food court.

Shifting back into his human form, he helped Starfire stand up. "Are you okay?"

"I am much better than I would have been had you not thought so quickly," Starfire replied and wrapped him gingerly in an appreciative hug. He hugged her as well, but as soon as his hands touched her back, she winced and he pulled away. "Apologies, Beast Boy. It appears that the Gizmo's small exploding airplanes hurt more than I thought."

"Don't worry about it, Star. Let's head back home. I'll treat you to some mint pizza on the way back, okay?" he said, flashing her a heartfelt smile that she returned. She patted his head affectionately, and the both of them returned to where she had stashed their purchases. People slowly began to trickle in, as did local law enforcement, and the two Titans tried their best to slip quietly out of the mall so as not to raise a commotion. Beast Boy took the bags from Starfire and she shot him a grateful smile as he shifted into an eagle and took off into the sky with the purchases swinging from his talons.

The flight home was just as quiet as it had been until Starfire pointed to a nearby building and swooped down low. Beast Boy followed, puzzled, and landed back in his human form next to her in front of a beautiful glassworks and jewelry shop.

"Uh, Starfire?"

"Yes?"

"Why are we here?"

"Because the last time Raven and I went to the mall of shopping, she brought me here. And she showed me something very beautiful," the alien replied, her eyes scanning the window display before lighting up. "And they still have it!"

"That's great, Star. You going to get it?" Starfire shook her head and bored her serious gaze into Beast Boy's.

"Beast Boy, I shall express my immense gratitude for saving me later. For now, perhaps I may help you. I believe," she said, looking at him gently but seriously, "that you have been telling yourself falsehoods for some time."

Beast Boy could not hide his surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You like Raven, yes?" she asked plainly.

"W-Well, she's my friend, and she's really smart, and her powers are cool, and she's pretty, and-" Beast Boy stammered, not sure what Starfire was looking for, but she placed a finger on his lips with a smile.

"You misunderstand. I know you like Raven. We all do. We are all her very dear friends," she said, "What I mean is that you think of Raven as something more than a dear friend. Something like… a female with whom you have a pleasant and special association, including the sharing of enjoyable recreation and occasionally the buying of bountiful floral arrangements, yes?"

His eyes crossed for a moment at all the big words, but once he had a chance to decode the Star-Speak, he gaped at her with his mouth hanging open again. "A girlfriend? You mean _like_ like- No way, Star, that's just- She's my friend like you and- that can't-"

"Beast Boy, I was in just as much peril as Raven when the Adonis came to hurt her. If you feel for her the same way you feel for me, why did you not turn into The Beast and fight like your life would end if I was hurt as you did for her?" Starfire asked with a raised eyebrow.

And Beast Boy's mind went _poof_ in a moment of sheer clarity.

* * *

Raven had not expected to see Robin and Cyborg standing cautiously outside her door shortly after she had finished her third cup of tea. She had seen them debating over something at the table when she had gone for her second refill (the first having been when all of them were at breakfast, though she wished she could forget that one), so she was surprised to see them both at the door. Thinking it was just them needing her to settle a dispute for them, she just gazed at them with one eye peeking out from behind the door and muttered, "Yes?"

"H-Hey, Raven. Just wanted to check on you," Cyborg said uneasily, and her visible eyebrow raised.

"Another checkup?" she asked, "I'm fine, Cyborg. Neither Beast Boy nor Adonis did anything to me that my magic couldn't heal."

"It's not that," Robin corrected, only barely calmer than Cyborg, "It's about this morning." Raven closed her eyes and sighed. She knew the interrogation was coming. In fact, she was a little surprised it hadn't come sooner; her powers had been on the fritz ever since she'd spoken with Beast Boy on the shore, and despite her near-constant meditation, it wasn't going away. It was getting worse.

"Are you mad at Beast Boy?" Cyborg asked gently, and Raven shook her head, fully opening her door. She sighed as she heard one of her books blast from its place on one of her shelves, and judging by the looks on her friends' faces they had noticed too.

"No. He has done nothing wrong recently. In fact, he hasn't really spoken much to me. No lame jokes, no inane video game ramblings, nothing like that," she said in her normal monotone. Cyborg's cybernetic eye discreetly studied Robin's face, and he could tell that Robin thought something was up so he let Robin take the lead.

"Does that bother you?" Robin asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"No."

"Raven, are you sure? You've been a little… jumpy lately. And every time we say Beast Boy's name-" Cyborg was interrupted by one of her candlesticks toppling onto the floor. Thankfully it was unlit. Raven squinted menacingly at them.

"Look, Raven, we have been noticing some… things. And those things point to maybe, sort of, an explanation for the explosions?" Robin stammered.

"Like elevated heart rates, adrenaline levels, blood pressure, and-"

"You looked at my charts to satisfy some sort of sick curiosity of yours?"

"Um," the boys chorused, and Cyborg knew he done goofed if the paling of his face was any indication.

Raven inhaled through her nose. She understood Robin and Cyborg wanted to help, she really did. They were good friends, she knew they loved her like a little sister, and she'd trade blows with anyone stupid enough to hurt them any day.

But they were gigantic idiots.

"Did it occur to either of you that I may already know the reason my powers have been like this? And that maybe I was already trying to work on it in my own way? And that coming to talk to me about it might cause more things to explode?" she asked venomously.

"W-Well, we just wanted to make sure you were okay-" Cyborg started.

"I'm fine."

"-and since Starfire kidnapped Beast Boy, we thought-"

This time Cyborg was interrupted by the noise of all of Raven's books exploding off their shelves. Raven closed her eyes and inhaled slowly again.

"Starfire did what?"

"She took Be- uh, him to the mall," Robin answered warily.

"I see." She opened her eyes, and both boys noticed the faint glimmer of Rage's red in them. "If you'll excuse me, I have cleaning up to do."

The door slammed in the boys' faces, and they both let out a collective sigh as they scurried back to the common room. As soon as they were both safely stationed on the couch, spare video game controllers in hand and eyes plastered to the screen, Cyborg spoke.

"So… you were right."

"About talking to Raven?"

"What? No way. But that she-"

"Oh. Yeah."

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"Let's never talk about this again."

"Cool."

* * *

Back in Raven's room, her face was a brilliant red color as she futilely tried to rein in her emotions enough to meditate.

_Stupid boys. If I didn't love them so much, I'd kill them._


	4. Pizza Shenanigans

**I have an addiction. A BBRae writing addiction. Send help. And send me the owners of Teen Titans, I have some negotiations I want to do with them to make them MINE!**

* * *

Beast Boy was not good with confrontation unless he was the one initiating it. He appreciated how Starfire had been gentle with him in her approach - the shopping, the roundabout questions, the encouragement - but now her insinuations were out in the open. She knew.

And now he was going to have to talk about it.

He sighed, "Star, can we get that pizza now?"

"Only if you promise me that you will not flee," she said sternly, "for I will find you. Speaking candidly with one's friends is considered healthy, yes?"

"Yeah, all right…" he groaned and the two walked down the block to their favorite pizza place. They quickly placed their order - one small Veggie Supreme and one small Starfire Special (mint frosting instead of pizza sauce with anchovies, mushrooms, and bell peppers) - and went out onto the main triangular patio to wait for their order to be delivered.

Beast Boy gave Starfire credit. She was patient. She just waited for him to speak to her as they sat waiting for the pizza. And considering that he knew how impatient she could get, she was showing a lot of restraint.

He _had_ noticed that he'd been a little more sensitive to Raven lately. Ever since Malchior, he found himself seeking her out more, trying to include her more. He didn't completely stop pestering her with offers of non-tea breakfasts, but when she said no, he'd stop and just say that she could stay if she wanted. And in the last month, she sometimes had. She had become his priority in battle too. If something too heavy or fast seemed to be coming her way, he'd find a way to block her from getting hurt.

He had also noticed, though, that he felt… different around Raven. Beast Boy had always had a mission to make her laugh at one of his jokes, but recently it had changed to wanting to see her smile for any reason. He kept tabs on when her teas were running out and went to the store to get them before they did, he made sure he sat next to her on the couch when he could, he looked out for books she might like.

And even his primal Beast form, a form he had had no control over, wanted to protect her more than anything. Something in him indicated she was special, precious, sacred even, and since he couldn't fess up to it, the Beast had done it for him.

"I'm scared, Star," Beast Boy admitted, and Starfire's eyes widened.

"What do you fear? I do not think that the Mammoth and the others will come back today, and-"

"I'm scared of hurting her again," he clarified, knowing Starfire could and would go on a comforting tangent if left to her own imagination, "I'm scared of being hurt too, but… she's already been hurt enough."

Starfire bit her lip. "I will not pretend that I do not understand, Beast Boy. Caring for others is frightening. But I have learned that, even though it may be painful at times, it is still wonderful."

Beast Boy chanced a glance at her and she noticed she was staring in the direction of the Tower with a wistful smile on her face. She continued, "Coming to this planet, I was alone. But I found wonderful friends! And a wonderful… best friend. A Robin."

"Yeah…"

"And I believe you have found yours as well," she said, turning her gaze back to him, though now it was much softer than it had been, "but you have inside you a great fear."

He didn't have an answer for her as the server brought out their pizzas. Starfire happily dug into her strange concoction while Beast Boy idly nibbled on his first of the six slices.

"Should I be scared?" he asked, and Starfire quirked her head to the side in thought.

"Yes? But also no?" she answered, unsure. "You are frightened of hurting her. And that is very sweet. But you should not fear it so much. You may hurt her, but you may also help her, yes?"

He thought about that for a moment. He thought about his parents. He remembered them from when he was young, working together, living together, and just _being_ together. There was always a light in their eyes, even when they were dealing with his illness, that made him feel secure. They had gone through a lot in their relationship; as high school sweethearts, they had gone through all those years of college together before marrying and trying to have children. They tried for so long before they had him, years of heartbreak, but they stood together. And he knew that they could do it because they had each other.

His parents weren't perfect. They fought and had little disagreements like anyone else. But the good far outweighed the bad, and Beast Boy understood what Starfire was trying to tell him.

"Is it worth it?" he asked, and Starfire smiled. She knew exactly what he meant.

"Yes," she said serenely, licking a stray bit of mushroom off her lip, "I would not change a day. He is necessary to me." Beast Boy nodded. Even though he knew that Starfire's feelings for their leader was unrequited as far as he knew, he saw how purely it shone on her face.

_He is necessary to me._ She needed him. She loved him.

Did he need Raven?

A sudden swooping sensation in his stomach, a roar in his ear, and a wild thumping in his chest answered for him: _Absolutely, you idiot._

Heaving a sigh, he slammed his head on the table and muttered, "Okay, you win. I like-like Raven."

"I know," Starfire replied simply.

"And I have to do something about it." This caught the alien by surprise.

"You do?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, you gotta tell the girl you like that you like her, right?" he said, popping his head back up much more cheerfully and grabbing his third slice. He could see the support on Starfire's smiling face, but also a small pain in her eyes. _I'm going to smack Robin good. He'd better say something soon,_ he thought, a growl in the back of his throat.

"Agreed. What will you do?" she asked, daintily wiping her mouth before indulging in her fourth slice. He thought about that for a moment. He had just admitted to himself that he liked Raven after dodging it for months. And while he really cared for her, he wasn't sure what kind of gesture would communicate it to her. Cooking for her was a moot point (he didn't know how to make much of anything else that wasn't tofu-related, and she barely ate), poetry wasn't his strong suit, and she didn't seem like the type for jewelry.

_Wait… jewelry? Or maybe-_

"Star, we gotta go back to that store that Raven likes!" he burst out, startling Starfire into dropping her crust on her tray, "You said she liked something in there!" A gigantic smile lit up her face as she inhaled the crust and the last two slices in just a few bites.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, her mouth full. She grabbed Beast Boy's wrist and dragged him and their bags up into the air with her, giddily flying back to the glassworks shop. Beast Boy had managed to snag his last slice before she picked him up, so he chomped as he enjoyed his second forceful Star-flight of the day.

* * *

Raven had finally managed to clean up her books, but every time she thought of Starfire and Beast Boy together, another one flew out. She desperately tried to shut out the thoughts of Beast Boy and Starfire laughing (whoosh!), hugging (bang!), and having a grand (pop!) old (clatter!) time together (crash!), but they kept coming, and she kept cleaning.

_Stupid Beast Boy. Stupid Cyborg. Stupid Robin,_ she thought murderously as she picked up her damaged and strewn-about items. _Why Beast Boy? Why him of all of them? Why do I like_ him_? He's immature, dumb, lazy, irresponsible-_

_And he's the one who makes you feel safe, cared for, and welcome,_ her more positive emotions, Happy, Intelligence, and Brave, chided.

Raven sighed and flopped onto her bed. If she couldn't control her emotions when she was awake, perhaps a nap would help clear the thoughts of Beast Boy ogling Starfire in a new outfit-

Aaaaaand she cracked her dresser in half. Great.


	5. Nevermore Shenanigans

"Friends! We have returned home!" Starfire called from the doorway of the common room, her shopping bags dangling from her arms. She floated gracefully over to where Cyborg and Robin sat watching a rerun of _Cheers_ and handed Cyborg the gaming store bag. "Here is your game, Cyborg."

"Thanks, Star," Cyborg said, eagerly flipping the case over to read the back of the box. "Where's BB? We were going to play this." Neither boy was expecting Starfire to giggle and fly giddily to the kitchen.

"He is busy at the moment. I expect he will join us shortly," she said, then began to hum as she pulled a bottle of mustard from the fridge. Robin and Cyborg stared at her, then looked back at each other.

"The thing we said we'd never talk about again?" Cyborg asked.

"Probably."

"Should we ask Star-"

"Probably."

"..."

"..."

"Are you going to?"

"Uh… maybe… later?"

"Okay. But if Beast Boy grows a pair before you do, you get dish duty for the next month."

Robin just scowled and turned his focus back to the TV, resigning himself to handling the Titans' dirty dishes. _That was a low blow and he knew it_, he thought darkly. Starfire stuck a straw in her bottle and sat easily between the two boys, though Cyborg saw that she was just ever so slightly closer to Robin than she was to him.

"Which show of the television is this?"

"It's _Cheers_, Star. It was really popular a long time ago," Robin answered.

"But they are not cheering, they are merely sitting at an alcoholic beverage establishment," she pointed out, and Cyborg had to swallow a chuckle. Robin always explained everything to Starfire, so he just patiently watched as his fearless leader (except when it came to feelings) talked to the girl who was obviously head over heels for him. So clueless, the both of them.

"Well, this bar is named Cheers because you say 'cheers' when you're drinking, so…"

* * *

Beast Boy scurried back to his room. He had done it. He had made his declaration, so to speak. Now all he had to do was wait. And play _Halo 2_ with Cyborg.

* * *

A soft, hesitant knock roused Raven out of her self-loathing thoughts. Her room was in shambles, so whoever it was would be out of luck if they wanted to come in for a chat.

"Who is it?" she called in her monotone, but she was met with silence. Dipping into her powers, she searched for emotions on the other side of the door but came up empty again. Despite her love of mystery novels, she didn't like to be kept guessing in her real life, so she picked her way through the detritus on the floor and opened the door. As expected, she didn't see anyone, but when she looked down, there was a small black box about as big as her hand. On top, there was a small white folded card with an R on it in calligraphy. Raven skeptically looked in both directions down the hall of her room, but when she still couldn't detect anyone, she picked up the box and retreated into her room once again.

With a wave of her hand, she cleaned the room again. Everything fell back into its place as she focused her thoughts on the box. What was it? Who was it from? Was it a prank?

Was it from… him?

_He was out with Starfire, why would he get you something?_ An emotion in Rage's circle of friends in her mind, a lime-green cloaked Jealousy, sneered. _She's so much prettier than you are, Raven. She's tall and gorgeous and nicer!_

_Yeah, she doesn't put him down and smack him upside the head,_ Rage agreed. _And now you're fantasizing about him giving you gifts? Ha!_

Raven squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut out the negative voices in her head. She wished they were wrong, but… in her heart of hearts, she did feel they were true. It was why she couldn't bring herself to face him, not after Malchior. Malchior had lied to her with pretty words and lovely magic while Beast Boy had always tried to be there for her. She chose the lie over her friend, she shouldn't be feeling possessive of him. If he wanted to be with Starfire, it wasn't her prerogative to say he wasn't allowed to. She didn't have the courage to tell him to stay with her.

_Raven, it's still a present, and it might be from him! Just open it!_ Happy called, trying to make her feel better, but Raven just shook her head again. Clutching the box, she scoured her room for her meditation mirror and found it in one of the drawers of the dresser she had broken (then fixed). She quickly muttered her magic words and was pulled gracelessly into the swirling black vortex of her mind.

She found her emotions waiting for her in a semi-circle in front of the Forbidden Door where she exited. Rage and her friends - Jealousy in lime green, Pride in chocolate brown, and Greed in a bright cyan - stood in a little mob on her right. Bright pink Happy, evergreen Brave, deep violet Affection, and dainty lilac Lust rivaled them on her left. The more impartial emotions, yellow Intelligence and orange Lazy, stood in the middle… or laid down in Lazy's case. A quick survey of the area showed Timid hiding behind a tree on Happy's side to Raven's surprise.

"Thank goodness, you have finally arrived," Intelligence sighed in relief, "It has taken all of my abilities to keep them from tearing each others' faces off."

"I should for what Greed said about Starfire!" Brave yelled, and Greed made a motion as if she was going to bite Brave.

"She was only saying the truth," Pride sneered, puffing out her chest as a challenge to Brave, "Starfire has what we want, and Greed wants to take it back."

"That doesn't mean she gets to call Star a-"

"LADIES!" Raven bellowed over Affection's indignant rebuke. "This is not why I'm here, and you all know it. You have been causing me trouble all week, and I am sick of it. Timid, Happy, Rage, Jealousy, every single one of you have been blowing up everything in my vicinity for days, and I need it to stop."

"We can't!" Timid squeaked from behind her tree.

"She's right, darling," Lust purred, "they won't stop unless you stop feeling enough to make them act out. You know the rules." Raven rubbed her temples; she hated the fact that she had been reduced to having her libido lecture her on how her powers worked.

"What I mean is that we need to figure out what to do," Raven clarified, and all three parties nodded with either eagerness or reluctance.

"All right, let's go over the facts," Intelligence said before the rest of her emotions (minus Lazy) chorused loudly, "WE LIKE BEAST BOY!" The yellow emotion jumped at the noise before composing herself and straightening her glasses.

"Yes. That is fact number one."

"Starfire took him out today," Timid offered and slowly inched from behind her tree.

"He was a little jumpy this morning," Jealousy commented, observing her nails.

"He called us his nickname and then fixed it when he remembered that _some people_ don't like it," Happy added, shooting a glare at Pride, who rolled her eyes.

"This doesn't lead to anything," Raven grumbled, and she and the rest of her emotions sighed. Lazy let out a loud snore before waking herself up and raising her head a little.

"God, why don't you just open the stupid box and let me get back to napping instead of being here in this stupid meeting?" she drawled grumpily, and all of the other Ravens looked at her in astonishment. Raven looked down at the box in her hand. Was it from Beast Boy? It was a cute little box and a very pretty card, all things considered. Simple but sweet.

"I… I…" Raven stammered, but was cut short by a familiar hand placing itself on the box as well. She looked up and instead of seeing Happy or Brave, Timid's shy grey gaze met hers.

"I want us to open it," she admitted quietly, and Raven nodded. Slowly, the took the removable top off the box and gasped.

On top of a small white pillow sat a beautiful glass rose in full bloom. The intricately formed leaves were dyed a deep emerald green and framed the blossom perfectly, but what made this rose special and what had drawn Raven to it in the first place was that the bloom itself was a gorgeously dark blue-tinted _black_. A black rose, perfectly crafted, lay in the box, and Raven's breathing stopped.

She remembered this rose vividly. About three months ago, Starfire had dragged her to the mall to buy their presents for Cyborg's eighteenth birthday. Raven had planned to order hers online, but Starfire had found a gadget shop and Raven had wound up purchasing a dash cam for his/their "baby". On their way back, they decided to walk to feel normal for a while and they passed a small glassworks/jewelry shop in the main square. Starfire oohed and ahhed over the beautiful necklaces (though pointedly ignoring the green gemmed ones, Raven noticed), while Raven's eye was only for the gorgeous blue-black rose.

Looking at it more closely, she noticed that some of the leaves and petals had crystal dewdrops on them that shimmered in what little light Nevermore had. All of Raven's emotions gathered around the box to see what he had gotten her, and their reactions were more or less expected. Happy's side giddily squealed, Rage's posse scoffed but gave appreciative smirks, and Intelligence nodded sagely.

Raven didn't even notice that she had dropped the card until she heard Timid's voice let out another squeak. She turned her focus to Timid and saw that she had read the card and put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"What does it say?" Raven asked. Wordlessly, her grey emotion handed her the card, and she inhaled deeply before opening it. In contrast to the beautiful, swirling R on the front of the card, the message inside was written in a small, semi-neat scrawl.

**I'm sorry if I scared you. I never, ever want to hurt you. You mean a lot to me.**

**\- Garfield Logan**

"Garfield…" Intelligence whispered, then gasped. "That's Beast Boy!"

Raven nodded. Then her legs gave out and she collapsed into a shaking heap on the ground, her emotions rushing to her side to make sure she was okay.


	6. Late Night Shenanigans

Panting, heavy breaths. Snorts. Grunts. And blood dripping from his claws.

"Please… No…"

A roar. A flash of fear in indigo eyes. A grey, naked arm raising to protect a similarly pale face. The feeling of a heavy arm raising high above his head.

"NO!"

Beast Boy bolted upright in his bed and frantically felt his body for any wayward fur. His jaw, his chest, his arms, his nails were all normal, and he muttered a quick prayer of thanks. _It was just a dream. Just a dream… where I killed Raven. But just a dream! I'm not going to kill her_, he thought in a panic. He swung his legs out of the top bunk and dropped down, knowing he wasn't going to be sleeping anymore for a while, and headed forlornly to the kitchen. Warm soy milk sounded wonderful right then.

He entered the common room, lightly debating to himself which sounded better - soy milk or almond milk - when he saw Raven floating in front of the massive window in front of the couch. She had not put on her cape or usual uniform for her late-night sojourn; instead, she wore simple black plaid pajama shorts and a soft dark grey pajama shirt. Her feet were bare, another anomaly, and Beast Boy couldn't help wondering if he were still asleep. He looked down to make sure he wasn't in his underwear - long flannel pants and a white tank top put that fear to rest - and he silently tried to sneak back out the way he came.

"Beast Boy."

No such luck.

"Uh, heh… h-hey, Raven," he said sheepishly, skirting quickly over to the kitchen, "What brings you here so late at night?"

"I often meditate at this time, at least for a little while," she said, descending from her floating position.

"Cool," was all he could manage as he pointedly tried to avoid her gaze. He knew she was watching him - he could almost feel her eyes on him, the violet eyes that the Beast had destroyed in his dream - but he didn't have the guts to face her, so he continued his soy milk/almond milk debate in front of the open fridge. Finally he settled on soy milk and put it in one of his Pug Mugs before flinging it into the microwave.

"Are you all right?" he heard her soft voice call from behind him, and he glanced in her direction and shrugged.

"Just wanted some milk."

"I felt your dream, Garfield."

At the combination of shock that she called him by his real name and fear that she knew what had woken him, he spun to face her, his eyes wide. She didn't look any different other than the strange clothes. Her face was still passive, her eyes shiny in the filtered light of the stars, but he could almost feel the concern coming off of her.

"Oh," he said, a brilliant scarlet mixing with his green cheeks to make him suddenly appear like Christmas was on his face, "I-I'm really sorry. I mean, I don't want to hurt you, and it's just I'm scared, and I'm sorry, so-"

"Stop. Apologizing," she ordered, and he clamped his lips shut. _Of course I say the wrong thing. Now she'll never… like me back. Oh, God, the rose! Did she see the rose?! I have to get it back!_

"You have nothing to apologize for, Beast Boy."

Oh. That was not what he was expecting. His ears drooped with relief and the flush in his cheeks lessened so he looked less like Christmas and more like a pink rose bush.

"You have tried your best to be conscientious of me ever since… it happened. I appreciate you trying to respect my boundaries and give me space," Raven said lowly, her eyes never leaving his. "But at the same time… you keep acting as though you have done something wrong. It bothers me. I am proud of you, Beast Boy, for trying hard to be more thoughtful and mature. But I miss my friend."

Beast Boy nearly felt like crying. Partially with joy, _she thinks of me as a friend!_, and partially with sadness, _she thinks of me as a friend…_ But he didn't, and wouldn't if it killed him. He decided to settle on the former emotion. She considered him her friend, something he knew she took very seriously. And what's more, she missed how he was before the chemicals, before Adonis, before the Beast. He would gladly take that victory.

"Okay. I'll do my best," he said, scratching the back of his head, his milk completely forgotten. Raven nodded.

"That's all I ask," she said as she walked toward him. He suddenly got really nervous and Christmassy again as she closed in on him and he was amazed that he didn't pass out when she kissed his cheek.

"You mean a lot to me too, Garfield. The rose is beautiful," she whispered softly into his ear.

"Not as beautiful as you." Beast Boy didn't know what possessed him to blurt it out, but he was not going to take it back any time soon. He smiled at the bright pink that colored her face as she leaned back a bit and the little explosion of his milk in the microwave that he no longer cared about. Their noses were nearly touching, and he took the opportunity to do the bravest thing he'd ever done in his life of superheroics.

He gently cupped both of Raven's cheeks in his hands and pulled her in for a kiss.

Beast Boy had never kissed a girl before. (Pillow, maybe; girl, never.) But with Raven, it seemed easy. She was warmer than he thought she would be, so when he felt her hands grip his forearms lightly but enough to show him she didn't want to let go, he felt ready to ignite with happiness. _She's letting me kiss her aaaaaaaah_, his brain cried happily, and he brushed one of his thumbs against her cheek bone.

It was chaste as far as first kisses went, and he didn't want to push it further. Especially when he heard the big bay window/TV give a monstrous crack, but he was proud that he didn't jump at the noise. Instead he broke the kiss and laid his forehead against her chakra for just a moment.

Then, as if suddenly noticing the awkwardness of the situation, he released her as if she were on fire and scurried out of the common room, leaving a speechless, wide-eyed, arms-still-raised Raven behind. His head reappeared a moment later as he poked his head in and said, "If this wasn't a dream, we'll talk about this tomorrow, I promise, okay?"

She nodded mutely, and the changeling's head disappeared out of sight once more. Raven raised a hand to her lips and felt that they were still warm. She let the smallest of smiles out, cracking the bay window even more, before gracefully padding back to her own bed and her own pleasant dreams.

Honesty felt so good, she deduced.


	7. Breakfast Shenanigans

Robin, as always, woke first. Four a.m., every morning, for his hour of personal training or study, depending on the day of the week. Then at five, a long hot shower to ease away any soreness or tension followed shortly by his quick grooming routine and dressing. By 5:45, he made his way to the base of the tower to pick up the five newspapers that were delivered every morning, among them being the _Gotham Gazette_ (which he usually read first), the _Daily Star_ (Clark Kent being one of his favorite writers), and their local _Jump City Jive_. At six, he'd be in his normal seat at the breakfast table with a bagel just to jump-start his metabolism and one of the papers, usually the _Jive_ or the _Gazette_. Usually when the others joined him, he was at least halfway through the pile.

But when he entered the common room promptly at six, he was met with a cracked bay window and souring exploded soy milk in the microwave.

It didn't take the protegee of Gotham's greatest detective to figure out what may have happened. And given the events of yesterday and Starfire's giddiness after her shopping trip with Beast Boy…

Robin sighed, walking over to the microwave to start cleaning it and the dishes. For the rest of the month.

* * *

Oddly, this morning Starfire was the next to rise. Perhaps it was the elated feeling she had gone to sleep with the night before, or the fact that her dreams had been so happy that she had floated up to the ceiling and bopped her nose, but she awoke feeling refreshed and joyful. Having showered last night, she amiably flew out to the common room to scavenge for breakfast - hopefully they had some pomegranates leftover, she loved eating the white innards almost as much as the juicy seeds.

She had expected to see Robin at the breakfast table, scanning through the many newspapers. Instead she found the papers in a pile by the sliding doors and Robin quietly rinsing a pan that he had used the day before to make his muffins. She quirked her head to the side before landing gracefully beside him and taking one of the muffin platters from yesterday.

"Robin? Was there something wrong with the papers of current events?" she asked curiously. He shook his head.

"No, nothing's wrong with them, Star. I just decided to do the dishes before I started reading today," he said, hoping she wouldn't ask further.

"But it is Thursday, yes?" she confirmed, confused, "Cyborg has the duty of cleaning our dishes on Thursdays."

"Yeah, well… he and I made a wager and I lost. So I'm taking care of everyone's dish duty for the next month," Robin replied, praying to whoever that she wouldn't notice the blush on his cheeks.

"But Robin, you told me gambling is wrong!"

_Ouch,_ he thought.

"It is, and I'm paying the price for it. See?" he said, and Starfire nodded before going to pick up his newspapers and putting them on the table where they belonged. Then she sat in her normal spot, right next to the seat in the corner of the booth, and waited. There was a decent bit of silence after that while Robin finished most of the dishes in the sink before he kind of got sick of Starfire not talking and said, "Did you want breakfast?"

"Yes."

He turned his head towards her to see her face. "Anything I can get you?"

"You are in the process of cleaning dishes. I shall wait."

"Are you sure, Star? I could get you another muffin, or-"

"I am waiting for you to finish so you can read the papers and sit close to me and answer my questions about the events in the paper, like we do every morning. Then when Raven or Cyborg comes in, you jump away from me and you go get us something to eat," she said, staring at him patiently with a small smile, "I enjoy our morning routine. Except…"

At this point, Robin had forgotten that he was doing dishes and turned to face her completely. He hadn't realized she had paid that close attention to his morning routine, nor did he realize that she liked what they did together before breakfast. He swallowed thickly.

"Except what?"

"I do not like that you sit so far away when the others are with us. I appreciate you bringing me food, but I do not like that you make sure to no longer sit with me," she replied, still smiling patiently, but he could hear the dejection in her voice. He normally wasn't good with emotion, especially not his own, but he knew Starfire was hurting. And she didn't deserve that. He took off the protective rubber gloves that he had put over his own and walked over to join Starfire in the booth. This time, though, he sat even closer to her than he normally did and picked up the _Jump City Jive_.

If she noticed his blush, she didn't say anything about it. In fact, she didn't say anything at all. He could tell he caught her by surprise. Instead, she only leaned her head down onto his shoulder and read the articles with him, pointing at pictures or sentences that had her confused and asking her usual vocabulary questions. He could feel the change in her cheek as she smiled, though, and that made him smile too.

* * *

Cyborg came into the common room expecting the usual scene. As soon as the doors opened, Robin would leap to his feet and pretend like he and Starfire hadn't been flirting for the past who-knows-how-long and catapult himself into the kitchen to grab something they could munch on before Cyborg started the real cooking. Then, when Robin had grabbed the fruit or bagel or whatever Starfire fancied that morning, he would sit nearly two feet farther away from her than he had been. And Cyborg would see Starfire droop but still smile because he knew she was grateful just to still be with Robin in any way.

This morning, however, caught him by surprise. Starfire was leaning her head on Robin's shoulder. Robin did not jump when the doors opened. Robin did not even raise his eyes from the _Daily Star_ as he called, "Hey, Cyborg, could you grab us a pomegranate?" Metal hit metal as Cyborg's jaw dropped to his chest.

He recovered quickly, saying, "Yeah, sure, man," as he headed into the kitchen. He noticed the sink was mostly empty of dishes but it looked as though Robin had already started them. Then he noticed a mildly sour odor coming from the microwave - soy milk left out - and put two and two together.

_Beast Boy and Raven must have hooked up, so Robin started the dishes, but then Starfire said something, so now Robin is being nicer to Star. ...I'll pester him about the dishes later._

* * *

Raven entered next, back in her normal uniform. She saw Robin and Starfire snuggling and Cyborg making waffles while wrinkling his nose.

It wasn't often that she was in as good a mood as this. With a quick flick of her eyes, the bay window fixed itself silently, as did all of the other things her powers had broken over the last eight days. Then, in order to do her friend a favor, she walked over to the couch and took a seat in her meditating position. Gently, not so obviously that he would become aware of her presence, Raven entered Robin's mind and pulled out a memory she was sure would help.

O~o~O

_Robin frantically searched the skies. It had been three days since they last saw Starfire. Starfire wouldn't have left, he kept telling himself. She wouldn't have left Earth, her home, her friends. She wouldn't have left _him. _Not over a battle with Plasmus. She couldn't have left._

_But… she'd been acting strangely. She had been avoiding them. She'd come to the battle dressed so impractically. And then, when Plasmus's goop had engulfed her, and she had been laid bare… she had looked so strange._

_And hurt._

_He understood that, as an alien, there were things about her body that he may never comprehend. But that never stopped him from caring for her. She was his best friend. And it hurt that she didn't trust him enough to care about her no matter what she looked like._

"_Cyborg," Robin barked, "How long until we can launch?"_

"_Oh, about five minutes after you QUIT ASKING ME THAT!"_

_Robin didn't have time for short tempers. He dashed through the tower and into the sub-basement where the T-ship was stationed. He arrived just as Cyborg was opening his arm to contact him and yelled, "Titans, let's go!"_

_Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg scrambled into the ship. None of them had been able to relax since she had left, least of all Robin, and his testiness was starting to show._

"_Are we sure this thing is ready to fly?" Raven asked innocently._

"_No! The T-Sub was built for deep sea, not deep space," Cyborg snapped back._

"_I don't care what it was built for," Robin growled authoritatively. "It's going into space. We've gotta find Starfire."_

O~o~O

Raven slipped easily out of Robin's mind and was gratified when she saw him drape an arm around the back of Starfire's seat. She was mildly disappointed that he didn't actually touch her, but she noticed Cyborg shoot her a look that told her to wait, so she satisfied herself with what she had accomplished and levitated her book towards her.

* * *

As usual, Beast Boy was the last to arrive, yawning and stretching. He was already showered and dressed in his uniform, which was usually only a 50/50 chance for him, as the doors opened. For once, though, he made not a peep about Cyborg using regular milk for the waffles. He didn't make a joke about how comfortable Robin looked snuggled next to Starfire. Instead, he made a beeline for the kitchen and pulled out a kettle and a teacup.

He busied himself with making the tea, trying not to focus on the fact that Cyborg was staring at him unashamedly or the fact that he was only half-certain last night actually happened. He dipped the elderberry blend in the boiling water and brought the steaming mug over to where Raven sat on the couch. Reaching over the back of her seat, he waved the tea in front of her nose, and she put down her book to look up at him.

"Um. I made tea for you?" he semi-asked and was rewarded with a smile. In one hand, she took the cup tenderly, and the other hand became encased in black energy. Beast Boy felt his body become enveloped in her black aura and he was lifted over the couch and placed gracefully next to her. She scooted in closer to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Not a dream, Garfield," she said softly, looking out over the water and sipping her tea as if nothing had happened. A huge smile broke out onto his face and gleefully he turned into a kitten that curled up beside her and laid its head on her thigh. She rolled her eyes - she much preferred him as a human - but she suspected that this was his way of not making a huge fuss, and again she had to be grateful to him for respecting her boundaries. Her left hand idly stroked the kitten's head and neck, and she could hear him purr clearly as he nuzzled closer to her.

* * *

**Is this the final chapter? Or would you like more? Let me know in the comments. I may or may not have already written a little bonus ending. ;) - Ari**


	8. Bonus Shenanigans

"Hey, Raven?"

"Yes?"

"It's really pretty out tonight."

"Mm-hmm."

"Not as pretty as you."

"..."

"You're blushing, aren't you?"

"You will never hear me say it out loud."

"I'll take it."

"Good."

"...You were really jealous of Starfire that day? Seriously?"

"Yes."

"You know, I really like your honesty."

"Thanks. It's killing me."

"Nooooo, don't die, Rae. Please?"

"...Just for you. I'll hold on a bit longer."

"Oh, good! ...Hey, you didn't get mad when I called you Rae!"

"I never… hated it. It was just… awkward when I didn't understand _why_ you called me Rae."

"Do I need to hook you up to life support? That was a lot of honesty!"

"Har."

"..."

"Beast B- ...Garfield?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Aw, come on, Rae, you know I'd do anything for you, right?"

"After these last six months, I think everyone in Jump City knows."

"Heh, you know, we won the Power Couple award this month."

"Hmm. Finally cracked Robin and Starfire's three-month streak? I'm impressed."

"I think the skywriter helped."

"Indeed."

"Kinda sucks that we were losing to them when they weren't _actually_ a couple..."

"All in good time, Garfield."

"You're evil sometimes."

"It's the demon blood."

"That's hot."

"Shut up."

"..."

"..."

"Raven?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I really kiss you?"

"Really… kiss me?"

"You know…"

"I suppose I do."

"So… may I?"

"...I appreciate that you asked."

"Is that a-"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Wow…"

"Your thoughts, Garfield Logan?"

"Elderberry tea doesn't taste so bad on you."

"I'm disowning you."

"Nooooooo, please don't!"

"You may be able to convince me. With another kiss."

"Deal!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Please tell me I don't taste like tofu."

"No, you don't."

"Oh, thank God!"

"Green beans, maybe."

"Rae!"

"Heh."

"..."

"..."

"You know I… love you, right?"

"...I do now."

"..."

"...I love you too, Garfield."

"PHEW!"

"Were you holding your breath?"

"Maybe?"

"Dork."

"Yeah. But I'm your dork?"

"Right. That does make it better."

"Yay! No sarcasm this time!"

"Only for my dork."

* * *

**This is the end of this story. BUT. It is not the end of this... uh, universe? Arc? I'm planning a StarRob sequel, that's what I'm trying to say. And Raven and Beast Boy will still be together. And Cyborg will still likely be #foreveralone. I've already started kind of working on it. Don't worry, I'm still working on the Teen Titans Season 5 fic AND a sequel to my Supernatuarl fic "Hey Soul Sister" - the latter is in development stage.**

**Anyhoo, until next time! Keep an eye out on my Twitter - I may post a poll about what I should write soon! ;)**

**\- Ari**


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